Frame welding is crappy
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Millerton NY
Frame welding is crappy
After taking this 82 all apart, I am not impressed with the welding quality on the frame. Has anyone else seen this on thier Vette?
If I could figure out the picture thing I would show what I mean.
Engine mount towers are all splatter, cross member the same thing.
Just wondering if this is the norm.
If I could figure out the picture thing I would show what I mean.
Engine mount towers are all splatter, cross member the same thing.
Just wondering if this is the norm.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 46
From: winter haven florida
St. Jude Donor '12
my 75 is the same way. there were sections that the welds missed both parts of the frame. the shock towers and the lower a-arm area were really bad. we had to grind and reweld a lot once everything was off the car.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Millerton NY
Thanks, at least I am not the only one. I am really suprised that a Corvette has such crappy workmanship.
I started grinding today to get it ready to reweld, looks like the whole front will be redone.
I started grinding today to get it ready to reweld, looks like the whole front will be redone.
Last edited by getvrtcl; Mar 8, 2009 at 08:05 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,117
From: Crossville TN
Mid-to-late 70's quality on Detroit-built vehicles was the "pits"...the worst auto quality of the 20th century. I would not be surprised at anything found "under the covers" on these cars. {...and I know that the 30-40 year olds who have no clue about that era will jump down my throat at speaking such blasphemy! 
Oh, well.... 
}
Oh, well.... }
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
People are used to seeing nice clean robot-welded joints these days. The 70's cars were put together entirely by human beings, some of whom didn't give a s**t about what they were doing. The 73 frame that I stripped and painted looked like someone had dragged the welding rod from one weld to the next. Quality control was not a priority in the early 70's and didn't become a priority until the US automakers started noticing that Japan was kicking their butts in build quality.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 802
Likes: 1
I took apart all the cross pieces starting from the tranny back to replace rusted pieces on my 73 frame. It was no problem to cut off the welds. The welds were junk.
I found it particularily scary when I looked at the lower A-arm frame bracket welded to the belly pan under the number 1 x member. There was hardly any weld at all in the slots.
Spalter and strike arcs everywhere.
I landed up re-welding a lot of it but not anymore than the original weld places.
Steve L
73 coupe since new
I found it particularily scary when I looked at the lower A-arm frame bracket welded to the belly pan under the number 1 x member. There was hardly any weld at all in the slots.
Spalter and strike arcs everywhere.
I landed up re-welding a lot of it but not anymore than the original weld places.
Steve L
73 coupe since new
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 29,702
Likes: 0
From: Sometimes I wonder... why is that frisbee getting bigger? Then it hits me.
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
MOST people, when doing a frame off, will clean and reweld these areas to remove all possible points of failure which in my opinion is the only way to do a good resto.
{probably had a direct line to the welding area...}
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Millerton NY
I appreciate everyone putting my mind at ease. There are a few pieces I will be rewelding, but if I keep looking at it I will want to redo the whole thing which I think would be counter productive.
I am not very good at the computer, but finding people to "bounce" these ideas and comments off of are great, THANKS to everyone.
Sure wish I could figure this picture thing out.
I am not very good at the computer, but finding people to "bounce" these ideas and comments off of are great, THANKS to everyone.
Sure wish I could figure this picture thing out.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
From: waterloo ontario
Posting Pics
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
Poor welding at the kick-ups on my '76 chassis:
Before I blasted and painted the chassis during my body-off resto, I noticed some cracks in the A-arm attachment bracket welds:
I had them repaired. The welds are good and strong, but they just look wrong on a restored old chassis.
Imperfections like the original welds are part of the character of the car IMHO. I'm happy to keep them ugly.
YMMV
Before I blasted and painted the chassis during my body-off resto, I noticed some cracks in the A-arm attachment bracket welds:
I had them repaired. The welds are good and strong, but they just look wrong on a restored old chassis.
Imperfections like the original welds are part of the character of the car IMHO. I'm happy to keep them ugly.
YMMV
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 297
Likes: 3
Frame welds
I have done a frame off restoration on my 1980. I spent 1 whole day with the mig welder going back over the entire frame just to be on the safe side after I had sandblasted it. It was fairly easy to do, just kind of slow and boring. My frame will not come apart after this.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Millerton NY
That is exactly what I have run into. IF I ever figure the picture loading out I could of showed it.
I also went over the frame and redid it.
Thanks for letting me know I didn't have a "special" case.
I also went over the frame and redid it.
Thanks for letting me know I didn't have a "special" case.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
I'm working on my replacement frame right now, here's my contribution: It's from a 81 Corvette, the welds and splatter are pretty rough.
I also noticed my frame has been hit in a previous life and seen this repair, should I grind out that strip of metal and weld something a little more flush? There is also a long messy weld to the left of the strip that wraps underneath....I'm going to grind that down for sure.
I measured out the frame and it's square so I'm ok on that.
Lastly, I noticed my PS pump pulley comes real close to the frame, you actually have to loosen the PS pump mount to change the belt, should I do something in that area to make changing a belt a little more easier?
I also noticed my frame has been hit in a previous life and seen this repair, should I grind out that strip of metal and weld something a little more flush? There is also a long messy weld to the left of the strip that wraps underneath....I'm going to grind that down for sure.
I measured out the frame and it's square so I'm ok on that.
Lastly, I noticed my PS pump pulley comes real close to the frame, you actually have to loosen the PS pump mount to change the belt, should I do something in that area to make changing a belt a little more easier?